7 ways to turn saving money into a game

Are you working to save money to get out of debt, to retire early or to take your dream vacation? Saving money for big goals can be tedious, but there are ways to make it more fun. If you’re having trouble staying motivated to save money, why not turn saving money into a game? Take the boredom out of saving like those who’ve mastered it!

Here are seven ideas for turning saving money from something tedious into a fun activity.

Create motivating and fun goals for the saved money

Having goals always makes work more fun. If you’re having trouble saving money, find something to save it for. Maybe your goal is to pay cash for a new car or to pay your mortgage off in 10 years instead of 30 years. Or maybe you just haven’t had a decent vacation in a decade. Pick a savings goal or two and keep the goals in mind when you’re deciding to save instead of spend. Having a goal like this can make all the difference and give you some real willpower to save.

Use a money-saving app

Money-saving apps can be a great way to turn saving money into a game. Here are two of my favorite money-saving apps.

Digit

Digit is a free app that helps you save money by analyzing your spending habits when you safely hook it up to your checking account. Digit then pulls out small amounts of cash when it sees you’ve got extra money and puts the money into your Digit savings account. Their “no overdraft guarantee” helps ensure they’ll never pull too much money out of your checking account.

Qapital

Also a free app, Qapital lets you set specific savings goals and specific rules for reaching those goals. The Qapital app has pre-set rules you can use, or you can make up your own.

For instance, their Round Up rule states that for every purchase you make, they’ll round up the difference to the next dollar and put that difference in your Qapital savings account.

The Spend Less rule allows you to set a specific spending limit (say, $100 a month on gas), and then if you are under your limit at the end of the month, Qapital transfers the difference to your savings account.

Have a friendly savings competition

Many people find weight loss success by participating in a weight-loss challenge where the winner gets a cash prize. How about instituting a savings challenge among family and friends?

Each person pays an entry fee of a specified amount, then the person who saves the most money at the end of the challenge wins the pot of cash at the end of the challenge! You could even take money out of the equation and give the winner something else – like a meal made in their honor. Turning savings into a competition among friends can really spur you to spurn those small purchases and boost your savings.

Make a colorful chart or vision board

Colorful charts and boards always go a long way in motivating people to reach goals. In order to help you save more money, you can make a colorful chart that represents each savings goal you meet or a vision board (such as a poster board with pictures of your vacation destination) that will remind you of the reward you’ll get when you meet your savings goal.

Post the chart or board in a prominent place where you’ll see it often. Sticking notes on the mirror you use to get ready in the morning with goal reminders can be another inspiration for you.

Save your small bills/change

Another great way to make saving money into a game is to put a big container, such as a glass milk jug, in a special place in the house. Then commit to putting all change, or change and $1 or $5 bills, into the jug for a specified period of time. You’ll be amazed at how quickly the change and small bills add up to big savings.

Have a “how low can we go?” competition

This is a great competition to have with a spouse or a friend. Pick certain flexible spending categories, such as groceries, gasoline, entertainment or eating out, and see how little you can spend in those areas during a given month.

Find creative ways to cut costs and come in under your budgeted amount in those areas and put the difference into your savings account!

Give mini-rewards for reaching savings goals

It’s always fun to get rewards for doing well. When working to reach a big savings goal, set up a rewards program that rewards you at specified savings intervals for reaching your goals. For instance, if your goal is to save $5,000 in one year, set up rewards that you can give yourself every time you reach a $500 savings increment, such as at the $500 mark, the $1,000 mark and so on.

Pick rewards that don’t cost a lot but bring you joy. Some rewards ideas?

A cone at your favorite specialty ice cream shop

Go out to see a new movie release at the theater

A $10 or less lunch, dinner or happy hour out

A cooked-at-home favorite dinner, such as a copycat of your favorite restaurant meal

Those small rewards will help keep your savings goals on track even if those long-term goals are still far from completion.

By turning saving money into a game, you can be sure to reach your savings goals – no matter how lofty they might be – and have fun at the same time.

5 fast facts that will help make filling out FAFSA a breeze

The following points are what you need to know, as well as common mistakes to avoid when filling out the FAFSA Fill it out – you have nothing to lose The sooner you submit your FAFSA, the better Gather the information you'll need Watch out for common mistakes like leaving fields blank Keep an eye out for requests for more information

The idea of wading through a form – especially one that requires financial information – is definitely not an appealing idea, but the FAFSA could be a tremendous help in getting your student money to attend college.

The following points are what you need to know, as well as common mistakes to avoid when filling out the FAFSA.

Fill it out – you have nothing to lose.

You may think that you don't need to fill out the FAFSA, especially if you believe you might not qualify for need-based aid. But there's no income cut-off point with federal student aid, according to the U.S. Department of Education. In addition, the FAFSA can help you qualify for all kinds of grants, loans and scholarships, including those offered by your state, school or private organizations.

By investing a few minutes of time, you could reap thousands of dollars in potential rewards.

Submit it ASAP.

The sooner you submit your FAFSA, the better, according to consumer adviser Clark Howard. Although the federal deadline isn't until June 30, 2018, you should check with the financial aid administrator at colleges you're interested in to make sure their deadlines aren't earlier.

Submitting earlier will help you plan how you'll pay for college. You'll also have a better chance of getting as much aid or scholarship money as possible since some colleges distribute their available money on a first-come, first-serve basis, Howard says.

Gather the information you'll need.

The FAFSA asks questions about the student as well as his or her parents if the student is a dependent.

You'll need the following information on hand as you fill out the FAFSA:

The student's Social Security number

The parents' Social Security numbers

Driver's license number (if you have one)

Alien registration number (if you're not a U.S. citizen)

Federal tax information for the student (and his or her spouse, if applicable) and the parents. This can often be imported online, so you may not need your records.

Information on the student's and parents' assets, such as money held in bank accounts and real estate holdings (not your primary residence)

Records of the student's or parents' untaxed income, such as veterans benefits and interest income

Leaving some fields blank – Instead, put in a "0" or "not applicable."

Listing an incorrect Social Security or driver's license number – It pays to recheck these numbers.

Failing to use your legal name – Use the name on your Social Security card, not a nickname.

Forgetting to list colleges – Even if you're not sure of which college you'll be attending, add any reasonable possibilities to the list of colleges that will receive your information. You're under no obligation to apply to or attend these colleges, and they can't see which other colleges you're interested in.

Keep an eye out for requests for more information.

Your FAFSA may be selected for verification, which means you'll have to provide some additional or supporting information, U.S. News & World Report explains. This process doesn't necessarily mean you've done anything wrong. You may have a discrepancy or mistake on your form, but some FAFSAs are just randomly selected for verification (lucky you!).

These requests will often come to the student's personal email account or university email address, so he or she will have to be diligent about checking it and responding to any requests by the stated deadline.

Related

Is credit monitoring a scam?

— With the recent massive security breach of Equifax — one of the three credit bureaus with which many may have thought their private information was safer than most — now many people are dealing with more insecurities, wondering where they can entrust their private information, if anywhere.

Here are some options:

Credit freezing

Better and cheaper than credit monitoring, an option for optimal security is freezing your credit through each of the three credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion), according to WSB money expert Clark Howard at Clark.com.

The fee is $3 to $10 per person per bureau, depending on your state, to allow you to seal your credit reports — except now it's free with Equifax from here on out due to the recent data breach.

You will be provided with a personal identification number (PIN) that only you know and can be used to temporarily unfreeze (or "thaw") your credit when legitimate applications for credit and services need to be processed such as when you are buying a car.

This added layer of security means thieves can't establish new credit in your name even if they are able to obtain your personal information.

LifeLock vs. CreditKarma.com

While LifeLock advertises it can help consumers secure their information to guard against identity theft, LifeLock charges monthly services that start at $10 a month.

Experian IdentityWorks also offers a free 30-day trial membership for identity theft protection and resolution, involving a monthly automatic deduction of $9.99 for the plus plan or $19.99 for the premium plan.

It's free to cancel within the 30-day trial period, but the consequences are not revealed up front for those who decide to cancel their membership once the monthly fees begin.

TransUnion

The third credit bureau, TransUnion, also offers credit monitoring at $19.95 monthly. However, TransUnion says it offers free identity protection through its TrueIdentity program.

Free helpline

Those with specific questions about the Equifax breach and how it may impact them may contact Howard's Consumer Action Center — a free helpline open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST Monday through Friday with Team Clark volunteers available to answer concerns at 404-892-8227.

Before jumping in, you'll need to take time to learn about the market, your expenses and any taxes you may need to pay. And before you list your property, you'll need to understand how to make it stand out with a good listing, including compelling photos and competitive pricing. Airbnb has a series of toolkits to help with this.

When TV, film and commercial producers want to depict a home on screen, many times they'll rent the real thing, according to Money. It can be inconvenient for owners, however, since their homes may be taken over by a large crew and be completely rearranged.

On the other hand, homeowners often have fun with the experience while making some extra money. And while you're watching TV or a movie, you may be able to spot your home.

Host a foreign exchange student or faculty member.

Temporarily hosting a foreign exchange student or faculty member who's studying or teaching in this country can help you make some extra cash for anywhere from six weeks to six months at a time. You'll also be exposed to a different culture and language, and the experience could help you form a bond that lasts even when your guest returns home.

The Penny Hoarder suggests contacting student housing offices at local community colleges and universities, asking to be placed on their list of host families. After this, you'll have to apply, be interviewed, and allow your home to be toured. You'll also need to pass background and reference checks.

The 4-bedroom house sits on a corner lot with a concrete driveway that leads up to the two 2-car garages both having rear service doors. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS BY KATHY TYLER

Rent out your driveway or storage space.

If you have extra space in your driveway, you may be able to make some money by letting others park there, according to Men's Health. This is especially true if you live near a commuter rail line or sports stadium, but you'll need to check to make sure you're not violating any local ordinances. Check out websites like JustPark to get started.

Related

5 ways to get the most out of your health insurance plan

Here are five ways to ensure you're getting the most out of your health insurance Choose your plan carefully Take advantage of preventative care benefits Work within your formulary Utilize HSAs and FSAs Watch out for surprise out-of-network charges

Your plan – as well as other options you may be able to sign up for – may have changed. Take a close look at the co-pays, deductibles, in-network providers and other specifics to make sure you're making the best possible choice.

Take advantage of preventative care benefits.

Almost every plan, according to healthcare.gov, offers preventative care benefits that are free. You won't have to pay a co-pay or meet your deductible to get these services at no charge.

Services for adults include age-appropriate vaccinations and colorectal cancer screenings for patients over 50.

Health care plans typically have a formulary, which is a list of medications that they're willing to pay part of or the entire cost of. It may include a list of preferred medications, for which it will pay the highest percentage of the cost.

It pays to be familiar with your formulary before you get an unpleasant surprise at the pharmacy, according to NerdWallet. Print out a copy of the document from your health insurance company's website, or call up an online copy at your doctor's office. Your doctor can work with you to make sure you get an effective medication that you can afford.

Utilize HSAs and FSAs.

If your health insurance plans allow you to put aside tax-free dollars in a Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA), you should learn how they can help you. Consumer advisor Clark Howard's website, Clark.com, has a chart that explains the pros and cons of each.

An HSA is usually associated with high-deductible plans, and like an FSA, it helps you save money to pay for health care expenses. These can include everything from prescription eyeglasses to medication.

Watch out for surprise out-of-network charges.

Your insurance plan has a list of network providers, and when you can, you should stay in-network. That's easy enough if you're visiting a single doctor, but if you need to have surgery, things can get more complicated.

For pre-planned surgery, Consumer Reports recommends talking with your doctor's billing department to get a list of everyone who will provide your care, including radiologists and anesthesiologists. Call your health care company to see if they're in-network, and if not, ask your doctor if in-network providers can be used.